"Yeah I agree with finding somewhere else to camp. And I also agree we can't let this hag loose. I would like to get her story, if she is willing to tell it. I'm also curious what the spirit makes of the hag."

Neela moves to stand between the tied-up hag and the fey spirit. She looks at the fox, then at the hag, then back again, trying desperately to communicate something and really just wishing Thelan could come and just speak to the fox.

If the hag wakes up, Neela stands in front of her but not too close.
"Ok Marla, the jig is up. Tell us what you really know of the lycanthropes, the elves and the dragon. If you want the truth known, I will tell it, but it must be the truth."

Persuasion: 10 Another roll if Yasmina helps: 22

Sinak looks at the hag, unconscious and bound, being drug into the house.  “I would not cause undue attention by burning this house down, though I would get satisfaction in doing it.  The hag will likely not lead to any useful information, with her dying breath she will attempt to misdirect, mislead and cause mayhem.  I believe she deserves swift justice, but I would defer to the fey spirit of the woods first.  Let us do that and if the spirit is indifferent, we will give a swift end to the hag, merciful but final.  Then we will move away from this place to set up camp.  I would still like to investigate those ruins as they might contain something that would help us..”

Yasmina follows Neela and tries to think of something supportive to say but the right words elude her, making her stand in awkward silence as Neela questions the hideous hag.

Neela - Marla eyes you with open contempt, "And why would I tell you anything? All I have is my silence and my life. You can take one but holding on to the other is my last bit of pettiness." 

All - You watch as the blue fox walks silently over to where Marla is being questioned. She notices it and tries spitting, but can't seem wot work up enough spittle, "Damn smug little bastard! Come to see me off then? Enjoy the show you little prick." The fox walks right up to Marla and steps onto her chest, putting its face closer to hers. Marla attempts to put on a brave face but you can tell she is terrified. The fox's three tails suddenly fan out, each standing on end as its body beings to glow. Marla's eyes open wide in fear as the fox seems to cast a spell of some sort.

Marla WIS save: 20

You see Marla's eyes gloss over for a moment, but she suddenly shakes her head and awareness washes over her again, "A glamour? Really? Even in this state you are no match for me you worm! You are pathetic and weak! You're-" The fox lunges forward suddenly and its jaws clamp down hard on Marla's neck, cutting her off with a strangled squeak. The fox jerks its head away and you see a spray of blood in its wake. Marla gurgles and bubbles for a few moments, then stops.

The fox turns to Thelan and tells him the following, which he translates for you all as it speaks, "What little she may have known was not worth suffering her to live just to hear it. The fox turns to regard Marla and says, "Thank you for ridding the world of that. I would do more to help you, but I am greatly weakened by what I have done already." The fox turns and looks at each of you, "You may not see me again. I must rest." The fox lays on the ground and curls its tails about it, "I can... offer you one last bit of help..." The fox begins to fade now, "Beware the... feather..." The fox then fades away.

Krugh turns away after the hag finally dies and says.

I'll find us a better campsite

Survival:4

Thelan watches without expression as the Fey spirit ends the old crone, then translates the spirit’s message for his companions.  “We have done a good deed, ridding the forest of this evil creature.  But the spirit left another warning.  Beware the feather.  What does that mean, what feather do you think they mean?”

Thelan looks at the dark sky and helps Krugh find a suitable campsite nearby “We should rest and start out for the children at first light.”  

Survival:  14.

.

All - You find a suitable campsite well away from the hag's hut near a stream. It is roughly 10pm and the moon is waxing gibbous. The sky is clear and the light of the mostly full moon actually penetrates the canopy in spots, reflecting on the surface of the water nearby. Your camp is set against steep rise that looms over you, creating a wall of sorts. Large stones and tree roots stick out of the dirt in various places, giving natural handholds to climb the 20ft rise if one were inclined to do so.

You all can take this time roleplay a bit betwixt your characters if you wish. If someone decides to stand watch, please roll a Perception check.

Yasmina is slightly shocked as the blue fox ends the hideous hag, but then she simply nods as Thelan translates the last words of the benevolent fey spirit.
She follows Krugh and Thelan to the new campsite where she gathers wood for a campfire, then eats some of her rations befor settling in for a first watch together with Razul.
Perception with help from Razul: 6
While she keeps watch the half-elf ponders the cryptic advice given by the fey fox and what feather would be in elvish.

Sinak goes into a trance and then comes alert for the second shift of watch.  He thinks about the fey spirit and the last words, trying to sort out what they could be referencing.  “Beware.. the feather.  Will definitely be looking out for any feathered beasts.”   When his shift comes up he climbs up the 20 feet to have a better vantage point while on watch.  He keeps his eyes open and using his darkvision looks for any movement and listens for any unusual sounds.  He prepares his spells, mediates and prays to the raven queen, relaying the days events.  A raven sits on a gnarled branch above him, keeping him company.  

Perception :  8 

Thelan helps set up camp and shares some stories with his new companions.  “One thing I don’t understand, what about the Dryad?  They would not associate with a witch.  Were they deceived by her as well, or does she have other creatures around her under her spell?”

He looks into the fire. “We are no closer to finding out what the Dragon wants or how to save the children.”  He will take a turn at watch, also climbing up the hill for a better vantage point, and spend the remaining portion of the evening in a meditative trance.  Perception: 10.

.

Sitting by the fire and listening to Thelan, Yasmina answers. "We don't really know we saw a dryad I think, the hag had many powers of deception. I too want to save the children but should we consider visiting those ruins first to be better prepared?" She suggests, looking at the others.

"I for one am really confused. We don't know who is telling the truth about anything. What's the deal with the lycanthropy? Why would the elves recommend we visit the druid if she hated them? I worry that the ruins will be just another diversion. I don't know who to trust. No, that's not true. I trust you guys. So do any of you have kids? Want kids? One day when I am a great dragon, I might think about having kids. But for now I have too many stories to tell." Neela is comfortably jabbering away as she sits by the fire. She pulls out her hand drum and taps out a little tune in time with her words.

(Song of rest in case we only get a short rest - an extra 1d6 hit points if you spend a hit die)

Perception for her watch: 9

Sinak looks at Neela when children are mentioned as if she is talking about aliens on Mars.  "Children?  I suppose they have their purpose.  Perhaps far from now, Faerun must be peopled.  But this matter is much more at hand, on my mind.  I am unclear about the lycanthropy as well.  I feel that we need more information before we run into this situation.  I feel that we must inspect the ruins before we head in, we need to know more..."  He taps his chin, lost in thought.

Yasmina - You are about an hour into your watch when you hear a noise. It sounds like something large moving through the underbrush. Razul scouts ahead and finds a shadowy mass on the other side of the stream lumbering slowly toward your camp. It doesn't appear to be in a hurry nor particularly concerned about being quiet as it moves. It approaches the edge of the brush and stops, looking over at your smoldering campfire. You see one large eye with a golden iris staring in your direction, the other appears to have been lost in a fight some time ago, if the large jagged scars are any indication. The owlbear waits and watches, its large head slowly turning left then right. After a few minutes it walks over to the stream and begins drinking. It is quite large and you can almost feel the deep grunts it makes as it drinks. It finishes satisfying its thirst and shakes its considerable feathered bulk. The owlbear gives another short grunt, turns, and wanders back into the forest. The rest of your watch passes uneventfully.

Sinak - The rise doesn't quite raise you above the level of the treetops, but still affords you a nice view of the campsite. Clouds have rolled in during Yasmina's watch and the moon slips in and out of cover during yours. Your raven companion roosts on a branch above you, its faint clicks and caws accompanying the slight ruffling of feathers as it settles in. Silence reigns for some time as you go about your nightly rituals while keeping a portion of your attention and awareness on your surroundings. You just finish your preparations and prayers when something catches your eye. The moon has slipped from behind the cloud cover and shines brightly in the sky when something large passes in front of it. Silhouetted by the three quarter full moon is the unmistakable form of a dragon. The dragon flaps its wings and its black body is lost in the mid-night sky. It is difficult to tell for certain, but you're fairly confident the beast is quite a ways away. You don't see nor hear the dragon again during your watch and the remaining portion passes uneventfully.

Thelan - You find the same spot where Sinak stood watch, offering an unrestricted view of the campsite. His warning about the dragon has you fully alert, though the moon is once more hidden behind a sheet of unbroken cloud cover. The events and ensuing questions of the day linger in your mind though you keep your focus on the present, content to let your subconscious work on those mysteries. Thanks to your awareness, you feel a sudden presence behind you. You turn about in a flash of steel and find a Dryad. It appears to be the same one that spoke to you before. The dryad nods to you in greeting and says, "On behalf of myself and my sisters, I thank you. The vile hag held our bodies and minds captive, using us as scouts and lookouts. As thanks, we offer you this." She extends her hand, and you see that she holds a small section of tree branch in it. Three bright red berries hang from various points on it. After handing you the branch the Dryad steps backward and places a hand against a tree, "Fare well and good fortune." The dryad vanishes in a blink of an eye and the rest of your watch passes uneventfully.

You have gained three goodberry.

All - Dawn breaks and the clouds that rolled in during the night have formed an unending field of grey across the sky. What would you like to do?

Yasmina gives Neela a curious look as she mentions becoming a dragon, but she says nothing. She frowns as Sinak expresses what she considers callousness towards the children. "I suppose we might find more information in those ruins, but my vote would be to head for Ravenglade Keep now. Saving the children are truly what matters to me." She says, sounding determined now.

During her watch she touches her ruby ring, briefly enthralled by it's fiery red light.

As morning comes Yasmina quickly readies herself to proceed, waiting for a decision to be reached.

Whichever direction is chosen she would stay in the back of the group, letting Razul scout ahead to warn her of threats.
Perception: 23 Razul perception: 4

((Sinak's callousness is toward the thought of having children of his own, not children in general.))

Krugh is deep in thought during this time but still takes his watch like the others

Perception: 5

But he also thinks aloud by the fire

This is indeed a worthwhile errand, saving children, destroying evil hags. Perhaps this is a good way for redemption and to regain honor lost.

This is a strange group, but good one and Krugh doesn't feel out of place amongst you all.

The next morning, you notice Thelan has changed his appearance after the fight with the hag and the first day in the forest.  He has coppery skin, blonde hair, and a bold, aggressive attitude as he wears the season of summer. 

“I was visited on watch last night by a Dryad, they were imprisoned by the hag, and gave us these in thanks for our service.” He hands the branch with the three goodberrys to Neela “Perhaps you can hold onto these for now, little dragon. They will provide energy and some healing to those in need.”  As the group discusses next steps, Thelan also thinks the children should be the priority.  “The ruins are a days travel in the opposite direction from the Keep! If we go straight to the Keep, we can be there later tonight, perfect timing for sneaking in and rescuing the children.  What do you think we can find in the ruins that will help us, especially if they were occupied by Lycans?”

Ruins could have treasure

Ruins also delay

Maybe get the kids first then visit ruins on way back ?

"I just, I have a feeling, call it a hunch, that there is something that we need there that will help us in our task.  The most direct route is not always the best one..." Sinak says, with a furrowed brow in thought.